I think that the obvious answer to this question is that ‘you are remarkable’. But unfortunately, this is not enough. Your CV should explain to a prospective employer exactly why you are so remarkable. (Our professional CV writing service will achieve that for you.)

1. Confidence

Are you? Confident?

‘Confidence is the first requisite to great undertakings.’ – Samuel Johnson

I dislike quotes that encourage the reader to just be confident. My immediate instinct is to say, ‘Yes, and how exactly am I supposed to achieve that?’

The way to overcome this obstacle, whether you have great or little confidence, is to write your CV in a confident manner. Id est, use positive language. If you write your CV in the passive voice, you will sound uncertain, doubtful. Use strong verbs; improved, increased, managed. And sell yourself; shamelessly but truthfully.

2. Understanding

Your CV should convey the message that you are aware of your strengths and have applied these strengths to make a difference. It indicates that you understand your own value and are certain that a company will benefit by employing you. You will be able to negotiate from a position of strength.

But you must emphasize those abilities in your professional CV, up front, instantly noticeable.

3. Jargon

Please, please leave out the buzz-words and the jargon. Mostly, they mean nothing and explain nothing.

‘I am results-driven, goal-oriented, and hardworking.’ Okay, so how did you apply those adjectives? How did they enhance/increase/benefit?’ Do you understand what I mean? Unless you can show how you have ‘driven results’, jargon will be annoying and a waste of precious space on your CV.

It will also seem as if you have no idea how to describe yourself and your skills accurately.

4. Grammar

Let someone proofread your CV. I know from experience that it’s difficult to spot errors in your own writing.

Use present tense in describing your current position and past tense for previous employment.

A CV filled with grammar and spelling errors will say that you’re careless. You don’t have pride in your achievements or yourself, and that you don’t make the effort to at least attempt perfection.

5. Length

I can promise you that nobody will read a CV that is nine pages long. Two pages, three at the most.

Don’t discuss every position you’ve had since the moon landing. I’m not referring to students or school leavers. It will indicate that you are too lazy/ blasé to write a new CV aimed at a specific position.

A CV is not a document that you create on the fly. You simply have to invest and apply yourself. A professional CV writer will achieve that

You probably know that a great LinkedIn profile is invaluable; whether you are searching for employment, candidates, or to establish a professional network.

But perhaps you don’t know the etiquette and interaction behaviour for LinkedIn. For instance, you should try to accept (or reject) requests to connect as soon as possible; good manners are applicable everywhere.

Don’t underestimate LinkedIn’s significance; The CV Branch has written numerous CVs for clients who have found us on LinkedIn. This professional platform is ideal (almost a must-have) for presenting your talents and skills.

So, following are a few simple enhancements you may consider.

1. Photograph

This is easy; do not use a photograph of you sitting next to the pool with a drink in hand or visiting a spa. Leave that for Facebook. Speaking of which, please make sure that your Facebook posts are private, employers will have a look. To return to the LinkedIn photograph, it must be professional; head and shoulders with a neutral background or showing you in an area of your profession.

2. Your name

Use your name and surname. LinkedIn is not the place for nicknames. However, I believe that using the name by which you are known is not necessarily a bad idea. For instance: ‘Elizabeth Margaret Cookson’. If nobody knows who that is, use ‘Elize Cookson’. (Not really my names.)

3. Headline

You have a hundred-and-twenty (120) characters in which to explain who you are. To give you an idea, here are a couple of examples of headlines that I’ve written:

‘Executive Manager and Director; International Leader, Strategy Expert, Marketing, Sales, and Business Developer’

4. Summary

A summary is vital for establishing a search presence. Explain who you are and what you can offer in at least forty words (maximum 2,000 characters), and don’t forget to use a few industry-specific keywords.

5. Your profile

Complete your profile. Your chances of being found in a search increase exponentially. To achieve an ‘All Star’ rating;

photograph,

industry and location,

a detailed current position,

two previous positions,

skills, and

50+ connections.

6. Skills

Don’t be afraid to list all your skills. Endorse your connections and they would hopefully do it in return. You can ask to be recommended, I’m not brave enough to do that, but if you are, click on the ‘Ask for recommendations’ button as shown in the screenshot.

7. Participation

Be active on LinkedIn. I’m not saying that you should create your own content. Share your connections’ or articles that are pertinent and interesting. You can, of course, prepare your own posts to use as a showcase for your projects/skills/successes. Connect with people in your industry and follow interest groups.

By now, everyone knows that social media is the bane of my existence. But a friend of mine told me the other day that she loves all the CV tips I give on my social media platforms. However, she’d like to have them all in one place. Hence the reason for this post.

1. Job duties

This sounds unprofessional. Use ‘Responsibilities’.

2. Objective statement

Such a statement is wasting space. An employer wants to know what you can do for him/her. And if your objective wasn’t to secure the position, you wouldn’t have applied.

3. Transferrable skills

Transferrable used to be a so-called buzz word some time ago. But this statement tells the employer nothing about the skills that you are able to ‘transfer’.

4. References

The phrase ‘References are available upon request’ is old-fashioned and unnecessary. The availability of references is assumed and employers know that they will be presented readily if requested.

5. Microsoft Office

Again, it’s implicit that candidates can use Microsoft. You only need to state industry-specific and modern computer packages.

6. Results-oriented

Well, if you’re not, your application will most likely not succeed. The better option is to demonstrate the results that you’ve achieved.

7. Hobbies and interests

8. Hard worker

Hopefully that is implied? Your interviewer might ask you for proof or examples of where ‘you've worked hard’.

Numbers 9 to 12 are all phrases that are meaningless unless they are specifically elaborated upon.

9. I work well under pressure

10. I am a people-person

11. Communication skills

12. Strategic thinker

I’m sure that you understand exactly what I mean by claiming that phrases like these are obsolete. They add nothing to an employer’s perception of who you are, what you’ve achieved, and how you can contribute to the success of the company.

These are catchphrases that you should avoid. I will write another post where I’ll discuss words that shouldn’t appear on your CV.

Your Cover Letter should be the perfect accompaniment to your CV. Together they are powerful marketing tools in your quest for the ideal career or position. Sending a Cover Letter with your CV is professional, indicating that you should be taken seriously. It serves as your introduction.

A Cover Letter should target each particular position you wish to apply for. A prospective employer will be impressed if you know something about his company. The Letter should convince the employer that he really wants to read your CV. Inform them that you plan to contact them shortly regarding the position.

To begin with, explain what you can do for the company – not what they can do for you and your career. You could mention something personal, but it still has to be professional and orientated towards the position. A Cover Letter can be ever so slightly more personal than a CV or Résumé, allowing you to express and reveal a bit about yourself. Show your passion for your chosen career, the position, and the company. If possible, address the Letter to a specific person.

Offer the prospective employer a sneak peak of what your CV contains. And refer to the content of your CV, but in short and mentioning only a highlight or two. Confirm that you have the skills and experience that the employer is looking for.

Whereas a CV needs to be in chronological order, a Cover Letter does not, therefore you can emphasize the parts of your career best suited to the position you are applying for. And do not use the same Letter for each vacancy you submit an application for.

There are employers who are of the opinion that the lack of a Cover Letter indicates that the applicant is lazy or sending CVs en masse. You want to show your commitment to the position and the company.

'The résumé focuses on you and the past. The Cover Letter focuses on the employer and the future. Tell the hiring professional what you can do to benefit the organization in the future.' – Joyce Lain Kennedy, Cover Letters for Dummies